The civil official nodded in agreement, "We merely followed the framework you set out. Any results we've achieved rely entirely on your foresight."

Though sincere, his words still carried a hint of flattery.

Upon hearing this, Louis slightly curled up his lips, "No need to exaggerate, I'm not that divine,

but I know that Cold Fir was able to endure because of the efforts you all have put in. Words can't compare to tangible actions."

He reached out and patted the box by the table, nodding gently to signal.

An attendant was already prepared, handing out small cloth bags to each official.

The bags were small but weighty.

"Inside are ten gold coins," Louis said in an ordinary tone, "These are rightfully yours. It's not a reward, it's well-deserved."

The officials were momentarily stunned.

Ten gold coins.

Many of them had never even touched such an amount of gold in their lifetime, let alone received it all at once.

The town mayor's mouth gaped slightly, finally able to tremble out, "This... this is too precious..."

After a brief silence, a complex wave of emotions quietly spread through the Government Hall.

Looking at the heavy bags of coins, some officials' eyes reddened, while others tightly clutched the bags' openings.

It wasn't just a bag of gold coins; it was a sign of serious recognition and trust.

"Thank you, my lord." The town mayor was the first to bow his head, his voice hoarse but conveying unstoppable excitement, "We... we will definitely continue to strive to build Cold Fir Territory even better!"

"When my child was born, our family had nothing to eat," a young Agricultural Official clutched the bag of coins with trembling hands, his eyes already red, "Now he can learn how to write at the schooling workshop, has food to eat and a place to sleep, all thanks to you..."

Confronted by the crowd's grateful gaze, Louis merely smiled gently.

He did not take an aloof stance, he just openly accepted their gratitude.

"I said that working under me, effort will be rewarded. Since you have achieved results, you should get what belongs to you." His tone held a sense of rightful promise.

"The territory is managed by me, but its fate is carried on your pairs of hands. I believe in you and hope that you continue to persevere."

After those words, the hall became somewhat quiet.

"However," Louis suddenly shifted his shoulders, jokingly saying, "I'm not made of iron. I haven't rested since morning, so I'm a bit tired. Take me to where I'm staying, I'd like to rest a bit."

"Yes!" everyone responded in unison.

The town mayor personally led the way, with a group following behind, slowly making their way through the streets of Hanshan Town in the early morning.

The streets of Hanshan Town remained modest, with low and practical houses. Snow that had just melted was piled on both sides of the cobblestone roads, but every inch of ground had been meticulously swept, with even puddles directed to the drainage ditches.

Wherever they went, people paused their tasks.

They were old men sweeping snow, young people repairing rooftops, women returning with buckets from the well, and children nibbling on dry bread at the windowsills.

They lifted their heads, looking at the figure slowly moving at the center of the street, surrounded by officials.

They wanted to cheer but feared disturbing this great lord, yet that fiery emotion could still be felt by Louis.

Finally, the group arrived at a courtyard gate.

"This is... currently the best residence in Hanshan Town," the town mayor introduced somewhat nervously, pointing to the newly constructed semi-underground house before them.

"The best" was only relative, of course.

It was a newly styled dwelling embedded into the hillside, built with solid bricks and stones, with thick doors and windows, and a roof covered with straw and slate to ward off the cold.

Though still somewhat rough and simple, it was evidently a product of thoughtful effort.

The courtyard in front had already been paved with floor tiles, and at the corner of the wall, there was a bunch of early spring mountain flowers planted. Bright in color, they somewhat clumsily adorned this sturdy space.

"This is the best house we have now in Hanshan Town," the town mayor repeated in a low voice.

It seemed that he was worried that its simplicity was unworthy of the newly returned Prefect from the battlefield.

"Very good." Louis's tone was not loud, but it made the town mayor breathe a sigh of relief.

Then he said, "You all can go now. I would like some quiet time alone."

No one dared to question further, retreating one by one, leaving only an attendant to put down his luggage, light the hearth, and then quietly exit, pulling the door closed.

As the door shut, the noise and sounds of salute finally gave way to silence.

The hearth crackled, while in the distance outside, the sound of firewood being split and crowing of roosters could be heard.

Louis took off his cloak, placed his sword by the wall, and sat by the bed, quietly watching the leaping firelight for a moment.

He was alone not simply to rest.

The main purpose of his visit to Cold Fir was to save people.

But how could he only save Lei Xi'er and then leave without dealing with other matters?

"Might as well handle everything that needs to be done now," he murmured to himself.

Louis took a small notebook from his chest.

It was a notebook that had been read countless times, its pages' corners curled, and its cover worn white.

Yet even so, when Louis opened it, his actions were still careful and solemn.

Its cover was filled with lines of twisted and peculiar characters.

To the people of this world, they were an ancient and lost cipher.

But only he knew that they were intentionally written in Chinese.

A script system only he could understand in this world.

"After all, if this thing is dropped one day and someone inadvertently picks it up..." A bitter smile appeared on Louis's lips, "I don't want anyone guessing that I can foresee the future."

Within this notebook were recorded not just scattered thoughts, but densely packed information.

All gathered from the Daily Intelligence System prompts.

Louis didn't trust his memory to be perfect day after day, year after year.

Hence every piece of intelligence was neatly recorded here, carefully categorized.

His fingers flipped through the pages, pausing on one, its title grandly labeled: "Cold Fir Territory Resource Summary."

"There's indeed quite a bit of useful resources," he murmured softly.

"Cold Gravel Stone... produced from the northern ridge mine." He muttered, his fingertip resting on that line, "Though it's just a lower grade material, it's sturdy enough for building roads, bulwarks, and even makeshift city walls... Red-striped Fir too, resistant to splitting and cold-tough."

He leaned back in the chair, a slight smile on his lips, "With these two items used correctly, I can construct my Earth Tower-style castle... Not only against wind and snow but also for defense against external enemies."

He continued scanning downward, below which were some categories of food.

Cold Berries shrubs, Mountain Plum, Frozen Scale Fish...

To his eyes, these names were devoid of poetic charm and carried only stark value.

"Hmm... Although it's a remote land, these food specialties are indeed stronger than Red Tide Territory's early days." He whispered, fingertips gently tapping on the table.

Cold Berries were energy-rich, though tart, they stored exceptionally well, high-quality for making jams or fruit wine.

Mountain Plum dried those excellently for use as ration snacks when dried.

The Frozen Scale Fish, a peculiar product from frigid river sections, with its tight flesh naturally boasting a slightly icy texture, made for an excellent nutritional supplement.

"These... could be food for the people, but also cultivated on a large scale for sale."

His mind quickly ran through the scenarios:

Cold Berries and Mountain Plum, once collected, could be sent to fruit processing workshops for unified boiling, pickling, drying, and then packaged for sale;

While the Frozen Scale Fish could utilize simple smokehouses and cold storage, making long-term preservation not a concern.

With Red Tide Territory's smoking techniques added, the commercialization of these items would practically be second nature.

"Centralized purchase, processing, and storage into a warehouse..."

"With a system in place, I could directly have the Calvin Commerce Association under my control bring these to market." His eyes lit up, "This wouldn't just be mere food; it would become Cold Fir Territory's own industrial chain."

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